Cauterize
by Scorpion Hime
Summary: He saved her life. She saved his, twice. This girl, this petite samurai with an abhorrence of people, saved him? Their debts would be paid, but she never planned on falling in love with him. There had to be a way out of this. ItachixOC
1. Misery & Company

**Cauterize**

**Preface**

_Misery & Company_

* * *

"_Madness starts from where this story ends. Nothing from the past ever happens quite the same. _

_Induce only forward."_

* * *

"_Some men just want to watch the world burn, Keiko-chan."_

"_But just you watch, my sunshine, it'll all be okay in the end."_

A vision of a warm smile – a ghost of times past. A time in which she could smile back and be pulled into a loving embrace. But it was only an illusion. A mirage – like seeing a lake in the middle of a desert. It wasn't real anymore and it would never be real again. The five-year-old's fingers worried at the fabric of a dirty stuffed bunny clutched securely to her chest. A whimper escaped her lips and she buried her head in her arms, staining the bunny's already filthy cloth with her tears.

_Where'd you go?_

Was that why were people so cruel? They just wanted to destroy everything that they envied? But _why_were they so jealous? Why couldn't they be thankful and happy for what they had? Surely they would regret it when it was gone, wouldn't they?

Like her.

She had never felt so lost and alone.

Why had father left her? Why had he left Kaa-san and imoto-chan? What were they going to do without her Tou-san? He'd always been there when the village boys beat her up and called her names. They were so mean to her just because she dreamed of becoming a noble samurai like her father.

_I miss you so much._

But whenever she ran home, crying, he would tell her that everything was okay. That she was strong and honorable. That she would fulfill her dream and go on to see far-off places and meet wonderful people. He would lovingly tend to her wounds and dry her tears and help her find her hope again. With him, the future was always bright.

_How long have we been without you?_

Now who would help her? Who would tell her to keep her chin up and her spirits high? Father was never coming home, no matter how hard she prayed. He was buried – the only thing left was his name etched into a stone slab. He would never wake up and call her his 'sunshine' again. He was gone. Forever.

_Seems like it's been forever._

She hiccuped and shoved a trembling hand through her matted wine-colored hair. The tresses were stuck together by the red, tacky substance that leaked from a wide gash on her scalp and she whined at the pain. It had been several minutes, so why wouldn't it stop bleeding? It was staining her prettiest yukata. Mother would be angry.

_Are you in heaven?_

Sniffling, she pulled a handkerchief from her obi and pressed it to her wound, taking notice of the rest of the damage done to her body. Her lower lip was busted, she could taste blood, her cheek was swollen, bruises marred her arms, gravel stuck into the cuts in her palms and knees, her pretty golden yukata and wine-colored obi were shredded, and dirt covered every visible portion of her tan skin except for where her tears had left trails down her face.

_Come back home._

Her whole body was shaking violently but she forced herself to stand, one hand pressing the square of fabric against her head, the other holding onto her little stuffed bunny. Everything hurt. She hissed at every movement, yet put one small foot in front of the other, determined to reach her destination. Every so often, she would pause and rest a shoulder against a building. People could see her, she knew, but if she got too close to someone, they would steer clear of her as though she carried some sort of deadly plague.

_Are you lost?_

Seconds turned into ten, twenty, even thirty minutes, but she finally made it. Her knees were practically knocking together at the effort it took to even stand for more than a few moments. She stared down at where her bare, dirty feet met the soft grass and she wiggled her toes, reveling in the small comfort that nature gave her. Slowly, she raised her gaze and let her eyes wander over the now-familiar hill that rested at the edge of her village.

_We are. We're lost without you._

A new wave of tears cascaded down her face and this time she didn't even bother fighting them. Her little pink bunny landed with a soft '_whump_' in the grass and a strangled sob ripped from her lips. One stumbling step, two, a third and then she was sprinting full-force up the grassy knoll. She threw herself in front of the headstone that marked her father's grave and wailed uncontrollably. It was too much. It was all too much. She just wanted her father. Was that really so much to ask for? A happy and whole family who could live in a world of peace?

_We'll burn a candle in the window._

"You were wrong, Tou-san. _All_ men want to watch the world burn, not just some. There isn't a good soul upon this earth. Everyone is cruel and evil and there is no use in love if all it does is leave you broken and bleeding like Kaa-san. Why did you lie, Tou-san? Why?!" Keiko slapped her small hands on his gravestone as she screamed. The pain her actions caused made her dizzy but she refused to stop, continuing to beat her little fists on the smooth rock until her skin split and she could no longer handle the agony. She curled in on herself and sobbed, sheltering her wounded hands in the curve of her stomach.

_Just follow the light home, okay?_

"I'll never fall in love, Tou-san." She vowed. "I will never put anyone through that torture like you did. I swear it."

_We'll wait for you._


	2. Of Green Tea and White Knights

**Cauterize**

**Chapter One**

_Of Green Tea and White Knights_

* * *

"_Why do I keep getting done in by the same punch and yet still continue to fight?"_

* * *

"Ohayo!"

Her golden eyes located the owner of the sweet voice as she stepped through the threshold of the tiny tea shop. "Ohayo." She returned, offering a small smile to the elderly lady that had greeted her. It was a quaint little shop, peaceful and out of the way. A perfect place to rest before continuing her journey.

The seats looked so inviting to her weary body, well-cushioned and weathered by the years of customers. She picked one with a view of the door and plopped herself down, sighing in bliss as the softness eased her aching muscles. This was what she had been looking forward to all day and so far, it was well worth the wait. A young woman flitted over to her table and bowed, her dark hair bobbing in time to her movements. "I will be with you in a moment, Ma'am." The golden-eyed girl nodded and waved her hand in a friendly dismissal, finding herself too worn out to say '_take your time, there's no rush._' The simple action sufficed for now.

The woman smiled warmly and continued about her business, leaving the teen to settle into the comfortable seats. She was Hara Keiko, a thirteen-year-old novice samurai with no direction. It wasn't such a terrible thing, actually. She had no purpose. No future and no hope. But it didn't get her down. Something was bound to give eventually and until then she would travel; see the world. Visit the places she dreamed about as a child. The Land of Fire was on the top of that list, and she mused that she would head there first.

That is, if she could figure out where she was at the moment.

She propped her elbow on the back of her seat and reclined her head back, amusing herself by counting the water stains in the ceiling tiles. There was one shaped like a chicken and one like a raccoon maybe those should count as two? They were special, so they counted double. Thirty-eight was the number she came to before the mousy waitress rejoined her with a bow. "So, what are your specials, _onna_?" She questioned. Her head felt heavy, but she lifted it enough to gaze over at the woman as she spoke, "Ah, well. We have sukiyaki for our meal of the day and our tea is our specially blended mint green tea." Keiko gave her a brilliant smile and returned smoothly, "That's what I'll be having then." The woman scurried off once more, leaving the teen to her musings.

_'I hear the hot springs are nice. But how will I afford such an expensive respite?' _She readjusted her position and crossed her arms over her nearly flat chest, brooding on the subject. _'Dancing is out of the question, I don't attract enough attention. Tracking down a rogue shinobi is much too dangerous, I'm not nearly skilled enough.' _Her lips tugged down into a frustrated scowl, _'Mamoru-sensei, what would you do?'_

She was startled out of her thoughts once more when her waitress set her tea down before her. It was followed up by promises that her sukiyaki would be out soon and she was left alone again. Not giving a damn about her manners, she propped her elbows on the table and snagged the little red cup before bring it gracelessly to her lips. What did she care anyway? Not like these people were ever going to see her again.

The bell above the door rang and Keiko's hand twitched toward the hilt of her katana on instinct, managing to slosh some of the scalding tea over her other hand in the process. She grimaced in annoyance and set her cup down to wipe the liquid away. Only after that was done did she turn her eyes up to the newcomers.

Or, what she could see of them.

What was it with people and hiding their faces anyway? She would never understand shinobi and their odd ways.

The first man that walked in was quite tall, his face and head were obscured by a triangular hat with thin strips of white fabric hanging from the sides. The only thing she could really see about him was the long black hair that cascaded down his back. She felt a tiny spark of jealousy; his hair was prettier than hers and she was a _girl, _dammit_._ Weren't girls the ones supposed to have pretty hair? She huffed silently and took another sip of tea, pretending to look uninterested as she took the rest of him in. Height wise, he had to be at least a foot taller than her. And though she couldn't see his body due to the bulky and rather _ugly _cloak, she had a feeling that he was one of those lean yet muscular types.

But his cloak! Seriously? Black with red clouds? It wasn't even fitted to his frame, how the hell did he fight in that? Not to mention it had to be excruciatingly hot in the summertime. Maybe he wore something different then? After all, it was winter in most countries, even if it was oddly warm here.

Men and fashion never mixed.

She refrained from shaking her head at him and turned her gaze to the second person that entered. They were also male, but had a considerably smaller stature than the first. If she had to guess, she would say that he was younger, probably by several years. But since he wore a hat identical to Mr. Girly-Hair, she couldn't tell. At least he wasn't wearing such an ugly cloak. In fact, he was dressed rather practically; a sleeveless black shirt with black pants complete with forearm, shoulder, and shin guards. He looked ready to throw down at any moment. Keiko couldn't help but be intrigued. The only thing she could see with him was the lower half of his face; it didn't give her much as his lips were set in a firm line and his jaw was relaxed like the rest of his body. He reminded her of a mannequin in a store's window, posable but unable to give any emotion.

They traipsed into the little teashop like they owned the place, all confidence and deadly auras. Well, that mainly came from the first man, the younger one seemed to just be tagging along. Keiko turned her head and noted the nervous look on the old lady's face as they picked a seat and sat gracefully. She didn't blame the woman, these two were dangerous. They were larger than life. They would kill anything that got in their way.

Even Keiko was a little intimidated.

Okay, so that was a lie. She was pretty damned scared, but hell, she had a right to be. She was barely past being a beginner with a sword while these two obviously knew what they were doing. She wouldn't stand a chance against them if it came down to it. But instead of running away like a frightened rabbit in the face of a hungry wolf, she waved her hand, beckoning for another round of tea and relaxed even further into her seat.

Might as well see how this would all play out.

Her sukiyaki and second cup of tea came much faster than she had expected and she set her sights on the delectable food – though she was now mindful of her manners. She didn't want any excess attention on her. Being invisible would be a hard feat considering she was the only other patron. But she tried her damnedest. Every so often, she would tear her eyes away from her food in order to glance at the two men just to make sure they wouldn't catch her off guard. But other than being big and scary, they did nothing... well, _scary. _They just talked in hushed tones, sipped their tea, and ate their dango like normal people on a normal day.. It was rather boring.

They sat across the restaurant from her; Mr. Girly-Hair had his back to her while his young accomplice sat on the other side of the table, facing him. She could watch as he spoke, but he never seemed to betray any emotion and she couldn't quite make out what he was saying. This man was cold as ice. She could feel it as if it were a winter's breeze and her instincts screamed that she wanted nothing to do with him.

But she wanted _everything _to do with the heavenly sukiyaki in front of her. She would have to send her complements to the chef – this stuff was amazing. This tea shop would certainly be marked on her map for a return visit.

She encompassed herself in her food and wayward thoughts and the next thing she knew, Mr. Girly-Hair was headed towards the door. He called something back to his partner then was out the door and out of sight.

And as soon as that little door swung closed, the tension lifted like a fog and she could finally breathe again. It was like the storm had passed but the aftermath was very real. She certainly didn't feel safe because the younger man was still in vicinity She studied the pattern of the door and tapped her chopsticks on the edge of her half-empty bowl. Should she just leave? No, that's a coward's route. Not to mention, she was always poor, who knew when she would have another meal this decent? She just needed to finish, pay, and leave. But as she turned her golden gaze back around...

...she found his coal-black eyes on her.

Her first reaction was to look down – and hell, she went with it. She acknowledged her inferior skill, took a hit to her pride, and _looked away_. It was a submissive move, hopefully conveying that she wasn't looking for a fight. But the first thought through her mind wasn't the potential danger she was in. No, it was of how _captivating_ his eyes were. They drew her in. A black hole. A vortex that left her dizzy and maybe a little too warm for comfort.

All of a sudden, she found herself wanting to know _more_.

It was a complete turnaround from her former stance of not wanting anything to do with him. She'd never experienced anything like it. Really, she was quite lazy when it came to anything but her sword and her status as a novice samurai. Knowledge was never an important factor. Not unless it threatened her life. Yet now she wanted to see if the rest of him was as fascinating as his eyes. Strangely enough, she wanted to know him; who he was and where he was from.

She felt humiliatingly obsessed with the air of mystery about him.

But she couldn't help but to look back up at him.

His attention was on his tea, though – half of her felt relieved, but the other half felt disappointed. She didn't waste her time though, she took the chance to down the rest of her food, throw an appropriate amount of money on the table, and slip out the door.

Something told her that his eyes were on her back the whole way.

The wind outside had kicked up, stirring up clouds of dust on the old dirt path. The village was small, not even enough to be called a village. It was mostly just an area for weary travelers like her to rest. There was only the tea shop, a little tavern, a tiny inn, and what she assumed to be a brothel – she really didn't want to know. A couple of other buildings dotted the area, but they really weren't anything special; mainly houses or convenience stores. As soon as the door swung shut behind her, she cursed herself. Why hadn't she asked waitress for directions to the Land of Fire before leaving? This was ridiculous. Sure, she had been in a hurry, but was she really such a damn coward?

Huffing at herself, she started off in the direction she hoped it would be in, kicking up dirt like a scolded child. There was no way she could go back in that tea shop and ask. '_Baka, baka, baka. No one will ever help you on the ro-'_

Before she even had time to finish her thought, a large hand clamped around her wrist and yanked her into an alleyway. She careened backwards and landed hard on the cobblestone walkway, just barely missing a pile of trash on one side and a puddle of mud on the other. The hit jarred her spine and made her teeth rattle painfully. What the hell just happened? "_Itai..." _The word was a hiss and she brought her gaze up, disoriented, only to realize that she certainly wasn't in a good situation.

Eyes wide, her gaze flickered among the three brutish men that stood in front of her.

Well, more like _towered over her_. She grimaced at the semi-circle wall of muscle and brute strength they formed. There was no possible way she was getting past them; not without a miracle at least. These men were obviously experienced fighters – maybe not shinobi, but powerful none-the-less. And though her gut was telling her she had a snowball's chance in hell, her hand inched toward the elegant black and blue katana at her hip.

"Uh.." She faltered, racking her brain with something to say that would distract them long enough for her to attack. "Y-you gentlemen wouldn't happen to know which direction the Land of Fire is in, would you?" She flinched visibly as two of the men burst into a fit of laughter while the third gave her an unsettling grin. Keiko repressed the urge to gag at the sight of the man's repulsive, nearly-black teeth and the overwhelming scent of alcohol and piss wafting from their oversized bodies. This whole situation was making her sick.

"I doubt ya 'ill be goin' 'nywhere after we're through wit'cha." The man with the rotten teeth slurred drunkenly. Keiko could hardly understand him, but whatever he said made his two buddies howl even louder and lean on each other in their fit of hysterics.

Now might be her only chance.

Her thumb released the catch on her sheath and she lurched her body forward in a practiced movement, ready to swing her sword in an arc at their fleshy stomachs. The hit might not kill them, but it would suffice enough for her to run. And that was good enough for her.

She wasn't even able to get the blade out though, because a booted foot connected with her abdomen. Her body landed hard back in her original position, her head snapping back against the brick wall. In that moment, there was no pain, no past, no future; only stars. Stars, warmth, and a stomach that was doing somersaults.

Then, like a tidal wave, it all came crashing back.

"Oh kami." She hissed, pressing her hands to the sides of her head and shutting her eyes. The pain was overwhelming. It was like she had an entire war going on inside her head and no matter what she did, it wouldn't stop. Surely she had a concussion. There was a rough tug at her hip and she snapped her golden orbs open once more only to find her attacker waving her beloved katana – her only weapon – in her face. He chuckled at her panicked expression, "Guess ya shoulda stayed home t'day 'n' thought twice 'bout playin' samurai, _gurl. _Mommy 'n' Daddy can't save ya now."

At some invisible signal, his two accomplices stepped forward and jerked her to her feet by her arms. The vice grip they had around her biceps was the only thing keeping her from pitching forward from severe vertigo. The _'leader'_ tossed her sword over his shoulder and took a step forward. She winced at the awful grating noise it made as it hit the ground, it would be an expensive fix if she were to get out of this.

"Now." He lisped, "Lets git down ta bid'ness." His meaty paws reached greedily for the neckline of her old yukata, but she refused to let his lay a hand on her. Utilizing the strength of the two men who bound her, she pushed off the ground and curled her legs towards her chest before violently snapping them out in a full-body kick aimed for his face.

_'Bullseye.'_

Her feet connected with his mouth and he stumbled on impact, on arm windmilling for balance and his other hand flying to his face to stem the blood flow. He regained his footing a second later and spat two half-rotted teeth onto the ground. Keiko couldn't help but raise an amused brow, stifling the urge to tell him she'd done him a favor and maybe recommend him a dentist. Now was certainly not the time for her smart mouth, so she wisely kept her snarky comments to herself.

The guy's head snapped up and his beady, shit-brown eyes narrowed on her, "You bitch" He snarled. But since she had apparently kicked out his two front teeth, his insult came with a heavy lisp and made it sound more like _"Yew bith"_.In any other circumstance she may have been amused, but as it was, he mouth pulled down in a grimace and she glared at him. He stumbled to his full height and wiped the blood off of his chin – it would have been an intimidating sight to an untrained eye. He just looked ridiculous to her, but she still couldn't get out of it. "Yer gonna pay fer that!" His balled up his hand would have easily knocked her out or even snapped her neck as he put a little too much force behind his swing. Luckily for her though, he was a little drunker than expected and the punch went wide, nailing his partner in the shoulder. The man only stumbled back a step and grunted. "Oi!" He snapped at his _'leader'_ "Watch where ya throwin' dem t'ings, would ya?!" The _'leader' _ huffed in response, but his anger seemed to have dissappated as soon as it came. Now, his eyes were trained on Keiko in a way she really didn't like.

Obviously these men were experienced fighters – Hell, one had just taken a hit that might've killed her – but they seemed to be completely shit-faced. For an idle moment, she couldn't help but wonder how much sake it had taken to get them this drunk. It wasn't a matter that concerned her though, she was still no match for them. Even if she still had her katana, she would've still needed a miracle to get out of this unharmed. Something like a knight in shining armor or some other ridiculous damsel-in-distress fairytale nonsense.

This was real life, that shit didn't happen here.

Soon, just looking at her was not enough for the man and he began to paw at her. Her yukata was ripped apart and his rough hands grasped the bandages that served as a bind. The fabric bit painfully into her skin as he pulled at them until they snapped and exposed her minimal bust. She went to scream in surprise, but one of the men holding her slapped a hand over her mouth, silencing her. The other man gripped her ponytail and yanked her headback, forcing her to arch her spine and display herself further. She couldn't see the sickening grin on his face, but the fact that he was now fumbling at her chest, pinching and squeezing sensitive flesh, was enough to make her sick. Lashing out the only way she could, she aimed her kicks at any part of him, but to no avail. Still she fought on, refusing to sit back and allow herself to be shamed.

She'd rather die.

Though her voice was stifled, she put as much lung power as she could into blood-curdling screams. As much as she hated having to rely on another's help, she wasn't stupid. She knew she had no way of getting out of this on her own. Tears stung at the back of her eyes as the man began to pull at her obi, muttering a long line of curses that would make a sailor blush. In his drunken state, his hands were tripping over the complex knot in the fabric – it probably didn't help that she was flailing like a dying fish either. The lackeys were getting impatient shifting from foot to foot and staring down at her hungrily. All three men couldn't wait to have a piece of her.

But they'd never get it.

Her voice cracked as she ran out of air. She was getting dizzy from all the noise she was making, but she was determined to forge on even as her hope was dying with each little pull at her clothes. She opened her mouth to scream again, but was abruptly ripped away from her attackers. The world seemed to tilt on it's axis and everything began to spin at an alarming rate. Colors flashed and she instinctively closed her eyes and let out a sound that reminded her of an alley-cat that had gotten it's tail pulled by a cruel child. That same noise repeated when she landed hard on her backside, the cold stone jarring her spine and make her stiffen in pain. "Oh..." She hissed, rubbing the affected area for a second before lifting her head to figure out what was going on.

At first, the scene before her made absolutely no sense. It just looked like a jumbled mess of red, gray, and brown; like a child's painting or some skewed autumn display. But this was winter, and she wasn't looking at nature. She slowly ground the heel of her palm against her eye and blinked at the strange lump of vibrant colors and the black shadow that loomed in front of her.

Then her brain caught up and it registered.

"_Shit._" That _lump_ of pretty colors just so happened to be her former assailants. They were now piled on top of one another, bleeding profusely from obviously fatal wounds. Left to die in such a fitting place – a cold, disgusting alley worthy of trash like them. She couldn't help the feeling of relief that flooded her. It left a sour taste in her mouth, but she found she was able to breathe easier. The shadow in front of her moved and her attention snapped to it, coming to recognize it as the young man from the tea shop – the one with the black-hole eyes.

He shifted noiselessly, wiping one pale, bloody hand on a strip of fabric he'd pulled out of nowhere. Keiko watched him with an odd mix of curiosity and caution that left her gold eyes wide, tracking his every movement. He glided near her and she flinched, but he just bent down to retrieve an object from where it lay in the darkness. Every move he made seemed graceful, poised, yet precise and meticulous; as though he didn't want to waste energy on superfluous motions.

Keiko still couldn't see his face, but she didn't need to. The elegance of his actions spoke far greater volumes than any expression he could make. Words failed her – someone this refined, and stately, and _perfect _should be illegal, right? If she were to move, even with years of training in the aesthetic art of sword fighting, she would surely look like a bumbling idiot next to him. Never in her lifetime would she match up to the simple art that was _this _man.

He seemed to not notice her watchful gaze as he lifted the fallen object with one hand. In the other, he held a tattered piece of cloth – the same one he'd used to clean his hands earlier. She was surprised at just how stained it was; other than the fresh bloodstains, it was marred with many other marks that she was sure she didn't want to know the history of. He ran the cloth over the object, clearing away dirt and mud until she recognized her beloved katana. Her impromptu savior finished his cleaning and closed the gap between them with long strides and held out the sheathed sword. The weight of it in her grasp once more was a comforting feeling and she nearly whimpered, clutching it tight as through she were afraid it would be taken from her again.

"Clean it as soon as possible." His voice caused her head to snap up and she stared at his shadowed face – wondering how it was possible for this man to be even more perfect. First his black hole eyes, then his ability to take down three men that towered over him, not to mention the perfection of his movements, now his soft, lilting voice? _'Let me guess, he's attractive too. Probably tall, dark, and handsome.' _She mentally huffed – again, perfection like that should be illegal.

"I also suggest you cover yourself." Keiko frowned in confusion and glanced down at herself. A hot wave of embarrassment washed over her and she knew she resembled a tomato with how red she blushed. Her yukata was still gaping open putting her meager breasts on display. With another hurt-cat squeal, she wrenched it closed. "A-arigato." Her voice was a shrill chirp, an octave higher than normal, but he didn't seemed to care. He gave her the smallest of nods, straightened himself up, and proceeded to the mouth of the alley.

"W-wait!" Keiko yelped, scrabbling boorishly to her feet and stumbling after him. "Can't I at least get your name?" Her savior paused and turned only his head – just enough to lock gazes with her. For an instant, she found herself being sucked into those endless black eyes – like a starless universe, a black hole, an abyss that held nothing. There was neither warmth nor coldness. It was just empty, yet something about it was captivating. It drew her like a moth to the flame and her breath hitched in her throat as they stared at one another before he severed the connection by turning his head away. "No." Was his curt response and he vacated the alley before she could even teach herself to breathe again.

Keiko's hand clenched tighter around her sword and she followed him out into the fading sunlight with her head held high. "I'll repay you for this some day. I swear it!" If he heard her, he gave no indication – no answer. Not even a missed beat in his stride.

But she made a promise and she would keep it.

The wind picked up, bringing with it the biting chill of winter that tugged at her already disheveled hair. She watched her strange, shadowy white knight walk away as the breeze turned into a rough gale and soon into large, sparkling snowflakes. As much as she hated the winter, she was rooted to the spot, only moving enough to keep her deep burgundy hair out of her eyes. She was transfixed on him as he turned into a tiny speck on the horizon, wondering how in the world she's ever be able to return his favor. It wasn't until he disappeared that she was finally able to move.

She turned her gaze up to the inn that she stood beside and sighed. First thing's first, she needed a bath and she needed to clean her sword. Then came sleep, food, and directions to the Land of Fire.

She would see him again someday, and when she did, she would need to be much stronger than she was now.


End file.
